Letter to the Editor: Parking Rules Hurt Local Business

By:Patty Lieber | December 22, 2014

I have lived in Jamaica Plain over 55 years. I am a homeowner and also have a resident sticker. I have recently noticed how very unfriendly parking is. For years I have parked in Blanchards lot with no problems and last week got a ticket for $25 as I was 5 minutes over the two hour limit as I was shopping on Centre Street and honoring my merchants.

I also got a ticket recently on Myrtle Street when I ran into the post office to buy stamps…so when did Myrtle near the Post Office become a no parking zone? Finally I have noticed that almost all of Centre Street is now one hour parking instead of two. None of these situations makes anyone want to linger on Centre Street and ultimately hurts the merchants as people will just do the errands they need to.

Of course those who do not have cars will say keep cars off the street but if we want people to dine here and shop here, locals and those from other communities, we need to make our shopping area friendlier with fewer parking restrictions.

My daughter moved to Roslindale recently and the parking is a lot friendlier thus I have done more shopping there as I do not want to risk getting a ticket when I park somewhere that has always been legal and now is arbitrarily deemed a no parking or limited parking zone.

I also read recently that the city wants to put a pedestrian light at Burroughs? Are they drunk or on drugs? There is a light at Myrtle, one at Blanchards, one a half block further and one at the Monument. This is ridiculous and not consumer friendly. Perhaps my observations warrant a column as the parking Nazis are overzealous and there is no reason for parking to be restricted on Myrtle and for all of Centre Street to be one hour parking….don’t the local residents and taxpayers get to have input on these decisions?

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“Resident Permit Parking Only” signs have come to Moss Hill, where every house has a driveway and almost every driveway leads to a garage. Resident Lois Tow said that some of her neighbors were unhappy when visitors to the Faulkner Hospital parked on the neighborhood streets.

Forest Hills residents peppered a would-be developer with questions about where hundreds of car commuters will go if the LAZ Parking lot becomes a mixed-use development. There were other issues raised during a community meeting Wednesday about "The Residences at Forest Hills," but much of the discussion revolved around parking.

Since when is shopping at a store “honoring my merchant?” You shopped. You overstayed your allotted time. You got a (deserved) ticket. Move on. You parked in a No Parking Zone. You got another (deserved) ticket. Get over it. The parking rules apply to everyone, e q u a l l y. Do you believe you’re entitled to special treatment just because you’re shopping, or because you’ve lived in JP 55 years?

Charlie

My guess is that the on-street parking has been made 1 hour to keep the spaces turning over. They are for people running shorter errands. For people wanting to stay longer, they should park in off-street lots.

Patty

To Peppy, Myrtle Street became a no parking zone with no notice to any of the community. No, my longevity in this neighborhood does not give me special treatment but I made the observation that these no parking areas and now one hour parking signs were all arbitrarily placed with NO input from the neighborhood. I pay my tickets when I get them but residents have the right to know when an area that has been a legal parking area for years (Myrtle Street) has suddenly changed for no apparent reason. What is the reason that that area changed? It is on the street at the First Baptist church which holds services on Sunday not the other days so why is the area on a one way street suddenly restricted. Why did all the two hour spots now become one hour? Why do we need a 5th light in the area from Myrtle Street to the monument? To Charlie, the only off-street lot I know of is at Blanchards which is now ticketing cars. The lots behind the Galway House is for their customers only. Bank of America tows cars,even their own customers if they feel they are there too long. My comment was to note that our parking restrictions are far stricter than in other communities and these restrictions do not invite people to linger in the area to visit the shops and restaurants. I keep most of my shopping in this neighborhood as I believe it is important to support our own merchants but one hour parking and all the restrictions is not inviting to do so other than a quick errand. There are not even spaces on Centre Street for resident parking.

OhPatrick

The post office is 0.1 miles from your home on Pond St. Blanchard’s is 0.3. If you honestly feel so entitled to free parking that close to your home, then good riddance.

The street belongs to everyone, but for decades drivers have treated it as their own, and they continue to complain when they aren’t consulted over the slightest changes, as though the city somehow owes it to them to explain every change. Get over it. Our roads were around before cars, and they’ll be around after.

kinopio

According to google maps it is a 3 minute walk from your house to the post office. Why are you driving there in the first place? This is why America is the fattest country on earth. Leave your car at home and you will save money on gas and not have to worry about finding a spot or getting a ticket.

Patty

Did I say I drive my car there all the time? I parked at the post office on my way home from visiting someone at the hospital and parked at Blanchards when I was at physical therapy for treatment for sciatica. The point of the letter was that the parking regulations do not make our neighborhood welcoming for those who wish to visit our merchants. The letter was not about me but was about new parking restrictions that were implemented with no input from the neighbors or merchants. I am sorry you could not understand what I was trying to say.

Peppy

To Patty
I’d like to know where you got your information when you state the one hour parking signs were “all arbitrarily placed.” I am sure that they were installed for good reason and with much thought, and I’ll bet with community input. Do you think if you run the redlight at one of those new traffic signals you’re angry about you think you should be exempt from a ticket because no one told you about the light?
I will repeat my original sentiment and that is:
-the ‘I was shopping’ excuse
-having a resident sticker
-home ownership
Do not give you the right to disregard signage and park anywhere you please. I own 2 homes…does that mean I have twice the rights as you? Wherever you live, however long you’ve lived there, whatever business you have in the area, whatever your ignorance or knowledge of the parking regulations, everyone has the right to use those parking spaces as the law allows. And everyone has the responsibility to pay attention to his surroundings regarding parking restrictions. And everyone who chooses to ignore the parking restrictions runs the risk of receiving a citation. The City does not owe you a parking space.

Peppy

And Patty: I don’t think its very nice of you to imply that those who are in charge of parking in JP are alcoholic drug addict nazis. That’s just mean.